Ship-speed indicator



n. sm-. SHIP SPEED INDICATOR. I I APPLICATYION FILED NOV. 30, I920. 1,436.61 1 Patented Nov. 21, 1922.

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l/VI/ENTOR EST/1 A TTOlM/EVS' WITNESSES WWW R. STAR.

SHIP SPEED IN DIOATOR. APPLICATION FILED NOV- 30, I920- -2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Patented Nov. 21, 1922..

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W/T/VESSES A TTOBNE Y8 Patented Nov. 21, 1922.

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Applicationfild November 30, 1920/ Serialfit'o'. 427,375.

I To all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that 1, RICHARD STAma citizenof the United States, and a resident f the city of New York,-borough of Brooklyn,

in the county of Kings and State of New Yorlnhave inventeda new and Improved Ship-Speed Indioator,'of which the follow ing is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to an improved apparatus for indicating the speed of ships and has for an object to provide an im proved construction over my former Patents Nos. 955,008, granted April 12, 1910;

988,832, granted April at, 1911; 1,052,387,

granted February 4, 1913 and 1,289,978, granted September 11, 1917, y

Another object of the invention is to provide a simple and accurate construction wherein the indicating dial itself may be easily placed at any point on'the boat or ship regardless of whetherthe vessel moves tially in section showing the general arrangement of the various parts and certain of the detailed construction.

Figure 3 is a front view of the structure shownin Figure 2.

Figure 1 is a fragmentary view showing a slight modified form of compensating means embodying certain features of the invention.

Figure 5 is a sectional view through F igure 4 approximately on line 5+5.

Figure 6 is a detailed view showing one of the sprlngs lllustrated in Figure 3.

Referring to the drawings by numerals 1 indicates a dial structure supported by suitable members 2 011 the cabin 3 of a boat 4, which boat is shown as a motor boat though the device may be used on a sail boat, a large ship or vessel of any kind. The support 2 includes a number ofoperating parts as hereinafter fully described and as shown in Figures 2 and 3.' Extending downwardly'from this support is a cable" or chain .5 connected with what maybe termed as an actuator 6 arranged below the water line of the'boat' An ordinary pressure pipe 7 is provided an'd a Pitot tube 8 arrangedadjacent thereto. The pipe? is intended to permit constant water pres sure in :one side of the actuator 6 while the Pitot tube 8 actsto cause water to rise-in the actuator 6 in proportion to the speed of -the heat. "This rise of water actuates certain mechanism hereinafter fully described for moving the cable or other mentber 5 so that the dial structure 1 is actuated for indicating the speed of the boat. As the member'o is usually a cable or chain, it may pass directly up to the supporting structure 2 as shown in Figure 1 or may extend forwardly or rearwardly of the actuator 6 and pass over'suitable pulleys.

This adaptability of the power communicate ing member 5 permits the dial member 1 to be placed as shown in Figure 1 or at any part of the vessel.

Referring more particularly to Figures 2 and 3 it will be seen that the actuator 6 is formed with a casing in which diaphragms 9 and 10 are positioned, said diaphragms being held in place by a centralgland 11 which pinches the edges of these diaphragms for clamping them in place. Between the wall 12 and the gland 11 and diaphragm 9 is arranged a chamber 13 which is supplied with water by pipe 8, while the chamber 14 is supplied with water by pipe 7 As the pipe 7 is an ordinary pipe, thepressure in the static chamber 14 will be merely the pressure of the water of flotation, while the pressure inthe pressure chamber 13 will be proportionate to the speed of the ship as the Pitot tube 8 causes an additional pressure to be provided, which additional pressure will move the diaphragm 9 over against the action of the diaphragm '10, said movement expelling some of the water from the static chamber 14. The casing 6is preferably provided with relief valves 6 and 6 connected tothe respective chambers13 and 1 1 so as to relieve the water or air pressure therein whenever desired." Also, by a proper manipulation of these valves, the pressure may be regulated to correct a slight error as to the position of the pointer 35 when the vessell is stationary.

A carr1age'15 is provided with plates 16 and 17 engaging flat-wisethe diaphragms 9 and 10, said carriage being provided with connecting bars 18-so as to present a rigid.

positioned. A pipe 26 extends upwardly.

from the casing 24 to a point above the water line, or if desired, to the pulley boxing 27 arranged adjacent to the supporting structure 2. The pipes 23 and 26 and the housings 24 and 27 are provided merely to.

protect thecable or chain which cable is rigidly secured at one end to the lever 21 and passes over pulleys and 28 with the upper end secured to a frame or yoke 29; By this structure, whenever the lever 21 is moved by water entering chamber 13, the frame or yoke 29 will be raised in proportion to the amount of water entering. The

' yoke 29 is rigidly connected with a sliding frame 30 by suitable set screws 31, whereby as the yoke 29 moves upwardly and clownwardly the frame 30 will also move and in turn move the rack 32 carried thereby. This rack meshes with a pinion 33 secured to a shaft 34 and said shaft carries the pointer 35 operating over the dial face 36 of the dial member 1.

In transmitting motion from the actuating lever .21 to a distant point in the vessel it may be easily done by the use of a cable chainorthe like similar to the member 5 but the cable or other member usually stretches more or less and, consequently, there is a certain amount of loss. To prevent this loss from being shown by the pointer 35, the yoke 29 and associated parts are utilized at the indicator end of member 5. In order to get the full benefit of the yoke 29 a plurality of flat springs 37 is provided, each spring having an enlargement 38 fastened on each end. These springs with the enlargements 38 are arranged between the side walls 39 and 40 of the member 2 and against the bottomplate 41 thereof. A lug 42 is arranged on each of the side walls 39 and 40 in such a position as to hold the various enlargements 38 against upward movement as the springs 37 are bent upwardly at a central point. hen the pointer 35 is on zero, the bottom bar of yoke 29 is just touching the lower spring 37 at a point substantially centrally thereof. As the lever 21 moves, cable 5 will be pulled and, consequently yoke 29 will be raised. The voke 29 will not move until all of the slack in cable 5 has been taken up and also the first or lowermost spring 37 bowed somewhat. Preferably, the,

spring and other parts are constructed and arranged so that when the first or lowermost spring 37 is bent until it touches the second from the bottom the movement of the frame 30will be sufficient to cause the pointer 35 to move from zero to one. If the parts continue to move yoke 29 will continue to rise and will cause the second spring to move toward the third spring and so on as long as the yoke moves the various springs will be moved more and more in an upward direction. As the next lower spring touches the next higher ,onethe pointer 35 is moved one number on the dial face 36 which will indicate the speed of an additional knot, For instance, if the threelowermost springs have been bent until-they touch each other and the highest of these three barely touch the fourth from the bottom the pointer 35 will be pointing at 3 on the dial face 36. In order to compensate or permit the lower springs to bow properly and yet remain in their proper slacked position, enlargements 38 merely rest one on the other and, consequently, as the lower springs bow upwardly more and more these enlargements will move slightly toward the center but will remain one above the other and will return to their normal position as shown in Figure 3 when the vessel is stationary.

In place of the springs 37 for resistance or compensating means can be provided, as for instance, weights. In Figures 4 and 5 a construction utilizing weights is illus trated. In this form of the invention a frame 44 is provided having a number of shoulders 45 on which the various weights 46 normally rest. A pair of springs 47 is countersunk in. each weight except the top weight and presses against the next higher weight. These springs are of such a size and strength as to be strong enough to just support thenext higher weight when the next lower weight is almost in contact with the next higher weight. The yoke 29' surrounds these weights similar to the way it surrounds the springs 37 and as the cable 5 is pulled this yoke will gradually move upwardly. As the lowermost weight moves towards the second from the bottom the needle 35 will begin to move from zero. Exactly at the moment that the springs and lower weight begin to push the second weight from the bottom up wardly the needle 35 will be passing point 1 I on the dial face 36. As the third weight from the bottom begins to lift the needle will be passing numeral 2 on the dial face 36. This action is continued until all of the weights are being supported by yoke 36. As the vessel slows down the pull on the cable 5 will be slackened and, consequently, yoke 29 will gradually move downwardly according to the reduction of speed and will first be relieved-of the top weight, then the second. weight and so on until the boat comes to a stop. The weights 46 are slidingly mounted on guide rods 48 and 49 vwhich are held in position by suitable nuts 50, which clamp the plate 51 in position. This plate is held spaced from the top of the frame as by suitable set screws 52 whereby the upward movement of the top bar is limited and, consequently, the needle 35 is permitted to make only one travel over the dial 36.

It will be noted that this construction as well as the spring construction presents means which will resist the movement of cable 5 and direct the motion to the speed of the vessel so that a correct reading may always be secured.

What I claim is 1. In a device of the character described an indicating mechanism, a cable connected to said indicating mechanism for operating the same, a pressure responsive device for operating said cable, a pair of tubes connected with said pressure responsive device and arranged to supply pressure, the pressure in one tube being greater than in the other, said tubes extending to a point exterior of the ship on which the indicating mechanism is mounted and beneath the water line when in use, one of said tubes being a Pitot tube and an actuator connected to said tube actuated by the water in said tube for moving said cable, an indicating pointer and means actuated by the cable for rotating said pointer proportionate to the movement of the cable.

2. In an indicator for vessels for indicating the speed of the vessel, a dial carried by the vessel, a pointer positioned to move over said dial, pressure actuated means for moving said pointer over said dial, said pressure actuating means including a transmitting flexible member, a plurality of resisting members actuated by said flexible member, an actuator easing, means connecting said casing with the water below the boat and causing the pressure of the water to produce a pressure in the casing in proportion to the speed of the vessel and thereby operate the means which move said flexible member proportionate to the speed of the vessel.

3. In a speed indicator for vessels a dial member, a pointer positioned to move over said dial member, a reciprocating frame for actuating the pointer, a yoke connected with the frame, a plurality of means for resisting the movement of said yoke in one direction, a flexible member connected with said yoke and adapted to move the same against the action of said members, and an actuator for moving the flexible member.

4. In a speed indicator for vessels, a dial, a pointer adapted to move over said dial, a pinion connected with said pointer, a rack for rotating said pinion, a reciprocating frame rigidly secured to said rack and means for moving the frame in proportion to the speed of the vessel, said means including an actuator, a Pitot tube for directing water under pressure to said actuator for actuating the same in proportion to the speed of the vessel.

5. In a speed indicator for Vessels an actuator provided with a pair of diaphragms and a casing surrounding the diaphragms whereby a chamber is provided for each diaphragm, a tube extending from one of said chambers to a point exteriorly of the vessel, a Pitot tube in communication with the other of said chambers, said tube extending to a point beneath the bottom of the vessel whereby as the vessel moves the Pitot tube will cause the water to flow through the lastmentioned chamber at a pressure proportionate to the speed of the vessel, means for connecting said diaphragms so that they will move in unison, a lever actuated by said diaphragms, a flexible member pulled by said lever, a pointer, a dial co-acting with the pointer and means for connecting the pointer with said flexible member so that the pointer will move in proportion to the movement of the flexible member.

6. In a speed indicator for vessels an actuator, a tube connected with the actuator and extending to a point below the vessel, a Pitot tube connected with the actuator and extending to a point below the bottom of the vessel whereby as the vessel moves the water will be forced into said Pitot tube for causing the operation of the actuator, said actuator being provided with a diaphragm, a lever moved by said diaphragm, a flexible member pulled by said lever, a yoke connected with the flexible member and moved upwardly as the flexible member is pulled, a plurality of parallel springs adapted to be successively bowed by the yoke as it is moved upwardly, a frame connected with said yoke and moved thereby, arack secured to said frame, a pinion meshing with said rack and a pointer connected with the pinion and a dial arranged adjacent the pointer.

7. In a speed indicator for vessels, a dial, a pointer for moving over said dial, an actuator, a Pitot tube connected with said actuator and extending from the bottom of said vessel whereby water is forced into the actuator for actuating the same when the vessel is in motion, and means for connecting the pointer and actuator so that the pointer will move in proportion to the movement of the actuator, said means including a plurality of parallel springs and a yoke straddling said springs and capable of successively bowing the springs as the yoke moves whereby the movement of the yoke is increasingly resisted as it travels.

RICHARD STAR. 

